Love, Lust and Nicknames
by wscaster
Summary: Tony ponders what he has and what people think of him and gets some reassurance from someone he loves. This is a slash story, but has nothing graphic. It is also epispode related for Designated Target.


He sat in front of the TV which was showing one of his favourite Bond movies. But he found that he couldn't concentrate on what was happening. His mind kept wandering over the past couple of days.

The world was full of wonders.

McGee had gone out and was getting some. What was wrong with this picture? Well he could name quite a few things wrong. Number one being he knew that it wasn't Abby that McGee was getting busy with. They'd had a big argument a couple of weeks ago and were still barely talking to each other outside of work. And number two, where had McGee gone to meet someone, and when?

They'd been working long hours recently and they'd barely had time to go home and get some sleep. He knew and even Abby hadn't had time to go out clubbing recently. He'd had hardly any time to spend with Gibbs, and he was starting to get antsy.

He'd wondered if Gibbs creating work so that he could create a reason for not being alone with him. He'd worried that Gibbs was getting ready to break up with him. It was his biggest fear, closely followed by Gibbs dying. He'd never felt this way about anyone before, and it scared him. But that wasn't what he was thinking about now. And besides Gibbs had dispelled that doubt quickly with a head slap.

Gibbs used the head slaps to remind him who he belonged to and that Gibbs loved him.

So that had just left him with the question of when had McGee had time to go out and meet someone new? Answer, it just wasn't possible.

So he'd done some probing and investigating.

He'd found out that the mystery girl had moved into his building, and was currently living across the hall from him. He'd also learned that she was hot, and McGee had fallen for her in a big way. Oh yeah and he'd also learned that she had ripped him off. Big time.

He'd also learned that a decaffeinated Abby was a strange and scary creature. She'd taken McGee seeing someone else in stride, and that had shaken him to the core. If Abby could be that cool and collected when McGee started seeing someone else then it was possible that the world was going to end tomorrow.

But what had really struck a chord with him was that after only a few days of seeing her McGee and his latest fling, had pet names for each other and did the whole kissy thing over the phone.

He and Gibbs had never had that.

Never had cute little nicknames for each other.

What did that mean?

And then there was Ziva. He never knew where he stood with her. She flirted with him, even though she knew that he was with Gibbs. Had been for a few years now. But he still found her looking at him, touching him, getting close to him. And what was with that comment the other day? "Nothing sticks to you." God how he wished that were true. Did he really have people that fooled? Did they really think he just breezed through life without a care in the world?

He shuddered.

He looked tried to focus on the movie again. It was nearing the end, but he couldn't remember seeing any of it.

He sighed. Then smiled as he felt Gibbs' arm snake around him from behind and a gentle kiss on the side of his face.

"It's getting late, you coming to bed soon?"

"mmm

"Tony? You all right?"

He leant back into Gibb's embrace and just enjoyed the warmth, comfort and familiarity. He didn't want to be anywhere else. He was disappointed when he felt Gibbs move away, but it was short lived as he came around the lounge and sat next to him, pulling him back to him.

"Ok Tony, what's the problem?"

"Nothing important."

He heard Gibbs snort and knew that his lover didn't believe him, and wouldn't let him off that easily. And it was nice knowing that Gibbs loved him enough to know when he was hiding something and when he was being open. The tightening of Gibbs arms around him was all he needed to get him to talk.

"I was just thinking about McGee and his new girlfriend."

"Oh?"

"Mmmm, it's just strange seeing him flipping for someone that isn't Abbs, you know what I mean?"

He felt the rumble of Gibbs' chuckle as he snuggled down a little more.

"He looked so happy the other day. And listening him talking to her got me thinking."

"About?"

Now that he'd started talking he wasn't sure that he wanted to continue. It was stupid, really. Saying it out loud made him feel silly.

"It's stupid, don't worry about it."

He made a move to get up, wanting to put some distance between him, Gibbs and this conversation. But he found he wasn't going anywhere. He sighed. He should have known. If Gibbs wanted him to talk he talked, if Gibbs wanted him to stay put, he stayed put. And right now Gibbs wanted both. Maybe he could try a little misdirection.

"Tony, you've been up here for hours staring at the TV. You haven't moved an inch since I went downstairs to work on the boat. What is going on in that head of yours?"

"Do you think that nothing sticks to me?"

He knew that Gibbs was looking at him closely now.

"What brought this on Tony?"

"It's just something that Ziva said to me yesterday. She said that nothing ever sticks to me, and I was just wondering if that was what everyone really thought."

"Ah hell Tony."

"It's stupid. Don't worry about it."

He felt Gibbs fingers start running through his hair and he felt himself relaxing. He had always loved having someone do this, but no one could do it the way Gibbs did.

"You are good at what you do Tony, that's why I hired you in the first place. Part of what you do is making people believe what you want them to, you use your mask to help put people at ease. Anyone who really knows you, who cares about you can see through the mask and they know that you care about everything. Those who can't see that aren't worth the worry. Ziva was just yanking your chain."

"Yeah, see I told you it was nothing."

He felt the rumble through Gibbs chest again as he snorted. And he just knew that his little misdirection hadn't worked.

"What else was on your mind? And what does it have to do with McGee?"

He was so relaxed now he was almost purring.

"I was just thinking about us, and how we never had cute nicknames for each other, or how we never end our phone conversations with the endless I love yous." He paused and tried to gauge Gibbs reaction to this. It was no use. "Like I said, it doesn't really matter."

Gibbs tilted his face to that he could look him in the eye before he spoke again, and Tony could read so much in his lovers eyes that it made him feel humble.

"We may not have cute nicknames or end our conversations with I love you, but we have own ways of showing that we love each other. I hear it in your voice every time you call me Boss at work. I see it every time you get me something before I ask for it or even know I wanted it. I hear it in the stories and jokes that you tell or the way that you make sure that I know what is going on. Or in the way the you make sure that I see the results of one of your practical jokes. Hell Tony I have proof of how much you love me every time we go out in the field and you have my six. Just the same as you know how I feel when I give you a head slap, or touch you in passing. Or the way that I make sure that you eat proper food, or rest when you need it. Or when I turn into a mother hen every time you get so much as a sniffle. Or when we are here at home and we spend time together, just the two of us, watching a movie, reading or working on the boat. But never doubt how much I love you Tony. Just like I never doubt how much you love me."

Tony smiled.

And really it was that simple.

He loved Gibbs, and he showed it in everything he did.

And Gibbs loved him and he showed him in everything he did as well.

"So are you ready to come to bed now?"

Tony nodded as he stood and reached down to help his lover up.

They may not have nicknames for each other, but they didn't need any. They had so much more.


End file.
